Infected (USxUK)
by akahetaliafreak
Summary: Doctor/Scientist! America x Survivor! England. In the years of war a disease was brought upon the world. With too many infected, an environment was made to protect those who were not infected. Once a year it is opened to allow doctors & scientists out to explore the outside world of the infected and dying and to collect any research information they can find. Even if it is a human.
1. Chapter 1

**While I feel like writing, I wanted to do something a little newer in the fandom. I haven't seen many of these fics, if any, in the USUK community. Keep in mind this will need a little explaining. If you don't understand any of the info I give in this chapter, do not hesitate to comment or PM me and ask. I can explain it further. I love you guys and you are all the reason I write.**

**Hetalia belongs to its respective creator. If I owned it shit would happen, lol.**

**Characters for this chapter to recognize:**

**Ludwig – Germany**

**Antonio – Spain**

**Matthew – Canada**

**Francis – France**

**Gilbert – Prussia**

**Alfred – America**

In the year of 2020, a total war was brought down against the world. All of the people, civilian or not, were a part of this war. Nuclear weapons were used on almost all the countries. Any weapon-like things a person could find were used against an enemy. This war was confusing. Everyone seemed to be after the same thing which made everyone enemies. This thing everyone was after was the chance to live in complete safety.

Scientists had begun working on a top secret research project years prior to this war. Research had gone smoothly for four years until a lone scientist let out the secret for money. No one saw that scientist after the exchange of information was made. The information was given to another German scientist who used it for publicity and fame. What he didn't count on was all of this.

Each country sent a number of spies to Germany to find the valuable information. Soon enough, there were riots and fights in order to keep the information away from everyone else. The fights turned into a government issue of whether or not the information should be shared with other countries scientists. The government decided it would be best to share the information with other scientists for a better understanding of the research. Everything calmed down for a couple years.

After the research was completed, scientists had been able to make a new medicine called the _Compass Pathogen._ This was designed to be injected into a person's body through the bloodstream to find any bacterial or infectious error the host carried, hence the name "Compass". After many injections to over half the earth's population, scientists discovered a fault within the medicine. Each injection held a small amount of infectious disease that could fuse with any error in the bloodstream.

This caused a plague upon the earth. Many carriers of the injection were soon found to acquire symptoms of multiple sicknesses. Scientists took several carriers to do research on them and found the safer alternative to the _Compass Pathogen_ better known as the _Compass Pathogen X2._ By that time it was too late, and more than three quarters of earth's population were infected. Scientists took the medicine and made it into a material which prevented disease and sickness from getting into an environment.

A whole country was cleared with a government issued nuke and cleaned out by high powered technology. The material was built into a dome and then cleaned out again. All who were not infected yet were given the better of the injections and brought into the environment. A select few who were barely infected were helped and brought in as well for further observation. The dome was sealed in 2021. The war outside the dome continued, but with different motives.

Everyone who could pay their way into the dome were treated and brought in. All who were too poor to make it stayed outside the dome in sickness or in death. The only ones who were let outside the dome were special scientists and doctors. Each year on January 1st the dome was opened and scientists and doctors left to observe activity outside the dome. They wore special masks and had special equipment for research. The dome was sealed and did not open till January 30th. If anyone did not make it back on January 30th, they were left outside.

Once you were let out, it would be your last time out. Each year a new set of doctors and scientists were let out. Once they came back to the dome they spent the rest of their career doing research with the new information others gathered inside. The information rarely came. After five years of the dome being in existence, people of the outside world started to die off or become too sick to offer any help. If any new humans were born outside the dome they only lived to be about 3. Life as people used to know outside was nothing but death.

OOOO

"Each year, as everyone knows, the authorities of this community select a number of scientists and doctors to go out and explore the outside world for research. It is now December 25th, the day of receiving, and now the time to receive the name of our team this year." The speaker sounded over the expanse of the dome. Everyone looked up to a screen projected over the dome and waited patiently for the information.

"Each of these scientists and doctors we have carefully selected are among the top of their class and community. They have gone through training, countless hours of study, and many many tests. This year we have a total of six selected for the team." The speaker continued.

"And now for our team." Everyone seemed to tense up at the words. This was it. This was what everyone waited for each year. This one day was what kept everyone's life going in this environment, and what would continue to be their life source.

"If your name is called, please report to the Main Hall in Sector A which leads to the outside world by December 31st. You will be given injections and ran through several different tests. Our scientists include Ludwig Beilschmidt, Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo, and Matthew Williams. **(That's right! Fruking Canada! He's wonderful! XD) **Our doctors include Francis Bonnefoy, Gilbert Beilschmidt, and Alfred F. Jones. This, ladies and gentlemen, is your team for outside investigation and observation." The whole dome seemed to explode in cheers and sounds of congratulations.

**So, this is a short chapter DX I'm sorry! I think I did well but I want to hear your feedback! Review please. We will get to see characters in the next chapter.**

**Ludwig – Germany**

**Antonio – Spain**

**Matthew – Canada**

**Francis – France**

**Gilbert – Prussia**

**Alfred - America**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! Time for chapter 2.**

**Reviews are appreciated greatly!**

_**Previously:**__ "If your name is called, please report to the Main Hall in Sector A which leads to the outside world by December 31__st__. You will be given injections and ran through several different tests. Our scientists include Ludwig__Beilschmidt__, Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo, and Matthew Williams. Our doctors include Francis Bonnefoy, Gilbert __Beilschmidt__, and Alfred F. Jones. This, ladies and gentlemen, is your team for outside investigation and observation." The whole dome seemed to explode in cheers and sounds of congratulations. _

Ludwig Beilschmidt

Country Origin: Germany

Age: 20

Birth date: October 3rd

Number code/ID: 0320

Ludwig Beilschmidt was a strong, serious young man. He took everything in an organized manner and kept the order of any groups he led. He was strict but had his weaknesses which rarely were shown. He went by the rules and relied on books and study for any information he didn't know. He was taller to most people he met, and always wore a serious face. His blonde hair was always slicked back and out of his blue eyes. If something wasn't perfect, he would fix it.

Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo

Country Origin: Spain

Age: 25

Birth date: February 12th

Number code/ID: 1220

Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo was a cheerful, needy young man. He wanted a lot of things and usually got them. He always wanted things to go his way and if they didn't, he would usually complain. He liked to lead groups and participate in many activities as the leader of any projects. He was the type of person who provided for himself without any struggle.

Matthew Williams

Country Origin: Canada; Named "New America" in 2019

Age: 19

Birth Date: July 1st

Number code/ID: 0119

Matthew Williams was an easygoing, softhearted and gentle young man. He usually stayed away from large crowds and stayed quiet during group discussions. He is the younger twin brother to Alfred F. Jones and is easily mistaken to be Alfred. When spoken to, he would reply in a quiet manner. He was a good listener and could learn things faster than most.

Francis Bonnefoy

Country Origin: France

Age: 26

Birth date: July 14th

Number code/ID: 14

Francis Bonnefoy was a young man who did things at his own pace and had an abundance of affectionate expressions. He was a coward in some cases, but in others he could be very outspoken. He always remained true to his opinions and turned things into arguments easily if he was not pleased.

Gilbert Beilschmidt

Country Origin: Germany

Age: 20

Birth Date: January 18th

Number code/ID: 1820

Gilbert Beilschmidt was a young man who would use any means to become stronger. He often called himself awesome and kept an optimistic attitude when faced with a situation. Many people believed he was too carefree, but he always strived to meet his goals. He is the older brother of Ludwig Beilschmidt and always tries to keep Ludwig safe. Gilbert was known to get into many fights, but usually came out with a happy attitude win or loss.

Alfred F. Jones

Country Origin: America

Age: 19

Birth Date: July 4th

Number code/ID: 0419

Alfred F. Jones was a young man who was cheerful and powerful, with a strong sense of justice. He always wanted to help when people were in tough situations, but sometimes became too nosy. He rarely came to understand what people felt, and was known as somewhat of a clumsy person. Despite his clumsiness, he always provided a happy smile and brightened people's day.

OOOO

December 26th, 1:03 PM; Sector C

"Alfred…"

"Alfred, wake up…"

"Alfred!..."

"Shhh, Shhh hamburger of course I'll eat y-"

"Alfred!"

"I'm up!" Alfred shouted as he woke up and sat up quickly. Matthew stood to the side, holding his stuffed polar bear and watching his brother. Alfred yawned and rubbed his eyes. He reached over to his nightstand and felt around lazily before finding his glasses. He carefully slid his glasses on and blinked a couple times to adjust his eyes. After adjusting his eyes, he looked at Matthew.

"Sup, bro?" Alfred asked. Matthew shook his head at Alfred and sat at the foot of his bed.

"Al, it's one in the afternoon and you're just waking up. Did you stay up playing video games again?" Matthew asked.

"It was training!" Alfred replied.

"Shooting zombies is considered training?" Matthew questioned with a laughable tone. Alfred huffed.

"The apocalypse will happen! I can feel it!" Alfred waved his arms as he spoke and explained his reasoning. Matthew sat silently and listened to his brother's rant. He nodded at certain points to let Alfred know he was listening and responded when asked a question. Finally, Alfred felt content and waved it off with his hand.

"Whatever, if it happens I'll know what to do and save us all! I am the hero!" Alfred posed proudly and Matthew rolled his eyes.

"You want some pancakes or not?"

"Pancakes!" Alfred ran out of his room, leaving Matthew behind. Matthew face palmed at his brother's childish ways.

"I haven't even made any yet…" Matthew chuckled quietly and walked out of the room. He walked down the stairs of the big house he and his family lived in and got to the kitchen where Alfred was running around grabbing various things. Matthew sighed and started to work on the batter for Alfred's pancakes.

"Where's the remote? I wanna watch TV." Alfred explained as he looked around the kitchen till he found the remote and turned on the small TV used for cooking shows and recipes on the counter. He flipped through channels till he found the daily news and sat down at the table, chewing on a piece of bacon. Matthew looked at the television and then to Alfred.

"Why are you watching the news?" Matthew asked. Alfred shushed him and turned the television volume up louder.

"Al!" Matthew yelled quietly as he turned the television volume down to a more suitable level.

"I want to hear what they say about us in our character profiles!" Alfred answered. Matthew huffed and continued cooking.

"You know all they do is embarrass people." Matthew explained as he flipped a pancake. Alfred shrugged and continued watching till his picture came up on the screen. He smiled at the way his picture turned out and listened to his description. Everything seemed in order and he nodded happily. Matthew walked over and sat a plate of pancakes in front of Alfred.

"Thanks, Mattie." Alfred said as he started to eat.

"You're welcome, Al."

OOOO

December 30th, 8:35 AM; Sector A

Alfred and Matthew walked out of their house and went to the Air-Tran station of Sector C. Alfred got their tickets and met Matthew at the boarding zone. He handed Matthew his ticket and sighed.

"You ready for this, Mattie?"

"I don't really know, Al. I have wanted to go to the outside before, but I'm not sure what will happen."

"Yeah, me either." Alfred said as the fast transport came into the station and unloaded. Alfred got to the front of his line and had his finger pricked for a blood check. The man holding the scanner nodded at him and allowed Alfred on. Alfred rolled his eyes at the small test everyone had to take before getting on any kind of transportation methods. He always passed because he was always healthy, as was everyone else in the dome. If in any case someone failed the test, they would immediately be taken to the Main Hall for observation. If they reacted negatively to treatment, then they would be banished and released into the outside world.

Matthew met up with Alfred and they took their seats. They chatted quietly as the Air-Tran lifted off and started to make its way to Sector A. Sometime later, the Air-Tran landed and its doors opened. Alfred got up and helped Matthew through the large crowd of people exiting the station. They made their way to the private transportation area and entered a restricted area. There, they met Gilbert, Ludwig, Francis, and Antonio.

"Hallo (hello), I am Ludwig and this is mein Bruder (my brother), Gilbert." Ludwig said as he pointed to Gilbert with one hand and shook Alfred and Matthews hand.

"Ja (yes), I am the awesome Gilbert!" Gilbert shouted and laughed. Alfred looked at Matthew and shrugged.

"I'm Alfred, you can call me Al. This is Matthew." Alfred pointed. Matthew looked away shyly and waved.

"Hello…" Matthew said quietly.

"Bonjour, I am Francis." Francis extended his hand to Alfred. Alfred shook his hand slowly.

"Frenchie…" Alfred muttered to himself.

"Vous parlez français? (you speak French?)" Matthew asked Francis. Francis smiled.

"I am from France, oui (yes)." Francis Replied. Matthew smiled and nodded.

"Hola (hello), I am Antonio." Antonio said as he shook Alfred's hand. Alfred shook Antonio's hand back and looked at Matthew and Francis.

"All right, let's go." Ludwig spoke up as their van arrived to take them to the Main Hall.

**How was it? Please leave reviews and tell me! : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ello, everyone! I'm glad I have gained more people's attention with this story. I'm watching for your reviews, favorites, and follows and I appreciate all of them!**

**Awesome Empress asked:** "Are there going to be any pairings besides USUK?"

**Answer: I do plan on putting more pairings into this!~ I am sure a lot of you have seen that little bit of Franada, and that will most likely appear more with time. Other than Franada, I cannot tell you anything else! **

_**Previously:**__Matthew met up with Alfred and they took their seats. They chatted quietly as the Air-Tran lifted off and started to make its way to Sector A. Sometime later, the Air-Tran landed and its doors opened. Alfred got up and helped Matthew through the large crowd of people exiting the station. They made their way to the private transportation area and entered a restricted area. There, they met Gilbert, Ludwig, Francis, and Antonio._

"_Hallo (hello), I am Ludwig__ and this is __mein Bruder (my brother), Gilbert." Ludwig said as he pointed to Gilbert with one hand and shook Alfred and Matthews hand._

"_Ja (yes), I am the awesome Gilbert!" Gilbert shouted and laughed. Alfred looked at Matthew and shrugged._

"_I'm Alfred, you can call me Al. This is Matthew." Alfred pointed. Matthew looked away shyly and waved._

"_Hello…" Matthew said quietly._

"_Bonjour, I am Francis." Francis extended his hand to Alfred. Alfred shook his hand slowly._

"_Frenchie…" Alfred muttered to himself._

"_Vous__parlez français__? (you speak French?)" Matthew asked Francis. Francis smiled._

"_I am from France, oui (yes)." Francis Replied. Matthew smiled and nodded._

"_Hola (hello), I am Antonio." Antonio said as he shook Alfred's hand. Alfred shook Antonio's hand back and looked at Matthew and Francis._

"_All right, let's go." Ludwig spoke up as their van arrived to take them to the Main Hall._

OOOO

December 31st, 9:21 PM; Sector A

Alfred kept his breathing at a steady pace and continued to run around the track provided for trainees. Matthew sat on the bleachers with Gilbert and Francis, looking over a book of different stages of disease. Alfred stopped after completing several more laps and looked to the bleachers, rolling his eyes.

"Mattie, we need to get some sleep. Come on!" Alfred yelled from across the track. Matthew looked up and nodded. He said his goodbyes to Gilbert and Francis and got up, walking to Alfred.

"It's only 9:30, Al." Matthew said as he closed his book and walked with Alfred to their designated room. Alfred dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand and opened the door to their room. He looked around the room and sighed. In the dome, each house or building was thoroughly cleaned out and sterilized before any human could live or work in it. Each Saturday, a chemical was put into the vent system that was known to leave no effect on humans and clean the air of a house or building. All people in the dome had a monthly check day where officials would do a house check for any toxins or disease.

"Clean." Matthew said quietly as he sat on his bed. Alfred shrugged and sat on his bed.

"It always is. We're too restricted in this damn place." Alfred huffed.

"Alfred, don't say that. You're lucky to be alive! We are lucky to be alive." Matthew looked down. Alfred frowned and rubbed at his upper arm out of habit.

"I know Mattie. I know." Alfred said as he got up and went to his brother. Matthew nodded at the ground and sighed. Alfred sat down and wrapped his arm around Matthew's shoulders.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you or me." Alfred said as he rubbed Matthew's upper arm. Matthew patted Alfred's hand and sighed.

"I just wish Mother and Father were still here." Matthew said quietly. Alfred frowned and looked at the ground.

_Alfred was 5 years old and Matthew was 4. He held onto Matthew's hand as they trudged through a dirty, dying field. Looking around, he decided to sit. Matthew continued to cry into his small hand while holding his brothers hand with the one he was not crying into. Alfred pulled Matthew close and rubbed Matthews back, while his own tears escaped from his blurry eyes. _

"_Mattie, it will be okay. Mama said to keep walking. We have to keep going!" Alfred said as he hugged his brother and wiped at the tears coming from Matthew's eyes. Matthew sniffled and nodded shakily. _

"_O-okay." Matthew said as Alfred got back up and started to walk. It was cloudy and cold. The wind had slightly picked up and all Alfred could do was keep walking. He took his Fathers bomber jacket and wrapped it around Matthew as they walked through a destroyed town. All the buildings were in ruins and a couple people idly walked around, quietly, almost like they were already dead. Alfred pulled Matthew closer when someone would get near them and finally found a building that looked good enough for the two. He climbed up a rock and pulled Matthew up before slipping into the building. Just then, something caught his eyes. He looked around and saw something move in the corner. It was small, but covered by a dark material of some sorts. Alfred-_

"Alfred?" Matthew snapped a couple times and got his brothers attention. Alfred looked at Matthew and sighed.

"I zoned out again, hm?" Alfred asked. Matthew nodded.

"Were you thinking about… back then?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah." Alfred replied.

OOOO

January 1st, 6:00 AM; Sector A

"Alfred, it's time to wake up." Matthew patted Alfred's cheek till Alfred woke up. Alfred hummed and yawned. He stretched and put his glasses on like always. Looking around, he realized the date and stood. He went to the rooms' closet and got out his uniform. The uniforms required for the outside world were made out of a wearable material made with the same substance the dome used. The clothing was somewhat tight looking, but could fit anyone. Alfred slipped on the black pants and buckled his equipment belt into the notches on the pants. He took the black shirt and also slipped it on.

Matthew got Alfred's boots and handed them to Alfred. The boots that were required to be worn were thick and made with a firm material, but they were lightweight. Alfred slipped one boot on and clipped the sides close and then did the same to the other. He slipped his bomber jacket over his shirt and smiled at himself in the mirror.

"Perfect." Alfred said. Matthew nodded and got dressed in the same outfit, minus the jacket, before walking out with Alfred. As they reached the door of the dome they were scanned over in a tube like structure and approved. Alfred took his jacket off and was taken into a side room with Matthew. Bullet proof pads were clipped around their legs and chest area, and they were given a mask. Alfred took his glasses off and blinked. He slipped his mask over his mouth and nose and strapped it around his head. He pressed a button on the side and an eye shield came up from the mask. Scanners from the shield scanned his eyes and the shield adjusted to his vision type, allowing him to see. He smiled under the mask and gave a thumb up to the scientists helping him.

Slipping his jacket back on, he made his way to the door again and clipped a gun into his belt. Matthew and the others met him at the door and they all nodded at each other. Alfred watched as all the people working on that floor exited to the sides and doors around them were sealed. He smirked under his mask.

"Welcome scientists and doctors. Your mission is simple. Stay within the outer boundaries and return to the door by January 30th. If you do not return by then, you are left outside." A speaker sounded. A clicking sound was made and the door started to open. Alfred held Matthews hand tight and nodded reassuringly at Matthew. Matthew nodded back and watched as the door opened completely. Dust flew around for several minutes, before it cleared. Alfred blinked.

The outside was dark. Everything was dirty and in ruin, and there was no sign of life anywhere from what Alfred could see. The team took their first step into the outer world and the door behind them closed with a lock. Alfred let go of Matthews hand and pressed another button on his mask. A beam of light came from his mask and allowed him to see more clearly. The others did the same.

"All right." Ludwig said through his mask. Everyone looked at him and gathered in a circle.

"Here's the plan."

**And that brings us to the end of Chapter 3! I might be drawing the uniforms and giving you guys the link to see it, but if anyone wants to draw something as a fan art then please tell me about it and give me a peek! :P **

**Reviews are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Reviews are appreciated!**

_**Previously: **__"Welcome scientists and doctors. Your mission is simple. Stay within the outer boundaries and return to the door by January 30__th__. If you do not return by then, you are left outside." A speaker sounded. A clicking sound was made and the door started to open. Alfred held Matthews hand tight and nodded reassuringly at Matthew. Matthew nodded back and watched as the door opened completely. Dust flew around for several minutes, before it cleared. Alfred blinked. _

_The outside was dark. Everything was dirty and in ruin, and there was no sign of life anywhere from what Alfred could see. The team took their first step into the outer world and the door behind them closed with a lock. Alfred let go of Matthews hand and pressed another button on his mask. A beam of light came from his mask and allowed him to see more clearly. The others did the same._

"_All right." Ludwig said through his mask. Everyone looked at him and gathered in a circle._

"_Here's the plan." _

OOOO

A couple days had passed since Alfred had last seen his brother or anyone else from his team. The plan was easy to follow, but so far everything seemed to fail. Alfred and Ludwig would go out on their own to scout around the area and find any buildings that could serve as a temporary base/home. Gilbert, Francis, Antonio, and Matthew would stay behind to do tests on the land and air. Alfred seemed fine with the idea at first until he started scouting. What he had thought the outside world would be like, was nothing compared to what he saw. Buildings were not buildings, but simple piles of brick or wood. Streets were cracked in all places and potholes were everywhere. Alfred sighed to himself and sat down on what he assumed was an old seat from a car.

He looked around and tried to remember anything that seemed familiar.

"The playground." Alfred whispered to himself as he looked at a torn up area of dirt with metal pieces of a swing set scattered about. Alfred closed his eyes.

"_Mama, Mama! Come push me on the swings!" Alfred yelled as he hopped up and down in excitement. With his mother busy holding Matthew and reading to him, Alfred's father came over instead. He picked the small child up and sat Alfred on the swing. Alfred giggled and started to kick his legs in a back and forth motion while his father pushed him carefully. _

"_Daddy, are you okay?" Alfred asked every once and a while when his father would cough quietly. His father would smile and nod till Alfred paid attention on swinging again._

Alfred smiled to himself and looked around once again after opening his eyes. He noticed the way the land looked completely different from before, but everything was recognizable to him. He remembered the curb he would wait on everyday with his mother to get to the preschool he attended, and he remembered the candy shop Matthew and him would beg to go to after every trip to the park.

"Everything seemed too perfect back then." Alfred said out loud. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a loud crashing noise. He quickly grabbed his gun and looked around. He didn't see anything but made his way around a large stone slab from what he assumed used to be a building.

"Come on… Come out." Alfred whispered to himself as he inspected the area. No more noise was heard and he stood back up after several minutes of spying around. Putting his gun back, he decided to walk around a bit more before any real work came up. He took his time in taking in the scenery of everything and the changes that took place. Making his way down the street, he was faced with something he hadn't seen in a long while. The infected and the dying.

OOOO

"Hey guys!" Alfred called as he ran up to his team, panting. Ludwig had made it back before Alfred and was currently doing ground scans.

"Si?" Antonio answered as he looked up. Alfred held up a finger in order to say he needed a moment and caught his breath. He sighed.

"I found people. They aren't healthy, of course, but they are alive. That means there has to be some sources near them. There were too many of them to just be some random coincidence." Alfred explained as he gathered some of his equipment.

"People? What was the ratio?" Ludwig asked. Alfred thought for a moment.

"More infected than dying. They were much more active than what we were told we would find." Alfred replied. Ludwig nodded and thought.

"We will have to head that way then." Ludwig said as he turned to the rest of the team whom were already getting their equipment ready. Alfred nodded and waited for everyone to finish up. Everyone got their things and started to walk at a quick pace, following Alfred. Matthew walked quicker and caught up to his brother.

"Are we going where I think we are going?" Matthew asked in a quiet manner. Alfred nodded.

"Our old town. I haven't seen the neighborhood yet, but that side of town looked better than the side I came in on." Alfred looked at Matthew. Matthew hugged himself and sighed.

"Hey, Mattie, it will be okay." Alfred stated as they continued to walk.

After a while of walking, Alfred had finally managed to find his way back to the town. The team made their way around and took notes and samples of different things. Alfred looked around the corner he had previously been at and saw the same people before, but this time much worse. More people were dead and dying than there were infected. Alfred raised a brow and rubbed his eyes for a couple minutes. Then it happened again, there were hardly any people roaming around. Most were on the ground groaning or dead.

"It's worse than we thought." Antonio said from behind Alfred. Alfred looked behind him and nodded.

"Gather up the ones you can and try to get some research material. I'll scout ahead in the neighborhoods. "Alfred said as he made his way through the remaining people. No one came to him or bothered to speak with him. All the living knew where he was from and what he was doing. This was a yearly routine that the outside had grown accustomed to. Alfred watched several people sit and lay back only to close their eyes and never open them. He watched others throw up or scratch away at infected looking cuts and scrapes that were too far to be helped. Others simply stood still waiting to take their final breath. It hurt Alfred to know he could do nothing about it. Then something caught his eyes.

This something was short and skinny. He looked pale and dirty from where Alfred stood, but at the same time the paleness suited him. He had dirty blonde or blonde hair that was covered in dirt and emerald like eyes. He moved through a crowd of infected only to secretly steal things from them that would mean no help to anyone of the outside. He stole watches, buttons and threads from clothing, scarves and many other things. He stopped several times to catch his breath or hunch over in case of vomit, but would always continue with his game of stealing.

Alfred continued to watch the male before he turned and started to walk away from all the people he had stolen from. Deciding to go after the male, Alfred looked back at his team once more before disappearing into the small crowds of infected. It took sometime before the blonde male made a turn into some bushes and walked off the street. Alfred waited for a couple seconds before turning into the bushes and finding himself in a neighborhood. He looked around and found the male sneaking through a couple abandoned houses, gathering things again.

"Aren't you a sneaky one?" Alfred asked quietly, not expecting an answer. Finally the male came out of a house and sat all the things he had gathered in an old trash bag he had managed to find.

"What are you, cleanup crew?" Alfred shook his head and remained hidden. The blonde looked up and looked around before going back to putting things in the bag. He nodded to himself and picked up the bag as he started to walk away again. Alfred followed behind him at a good distance. The blonde made his way to another house and walked in, but did not come out. Alfred raised a brow and made his way to a window. He peeked in and noticed another human. This male was a red head with sea green eyes. He was skinny but slightly taller than the blonde. The two started to talk.

**(Allistor is my name for Scotland who is England's older brother!)**

"Allistor, are you okay?" Arthur asked. Allistor nodded and coughed a couple times before leaning on his brother as Arthur laid him down. Arthur took his time in covering his brother up and petting his head while humming.

**That is the crappy end to chapter 4!**

**Reviews are appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys!**

**Reviews are appreciated and loved!**

_**Previously: **__"Aren't you a sneaky one?" Alfred asked quietly, not expecting an answer. Finally the male came out of a house and sat all the things he had gathered in an old trash bag he had managed to find._

"_What are you, cleanup crew?" Alfred shook his head and remained hidden. The blonde looked up and looked around before going back to putting things in the bag. He nodded to himself and picked up the bag as he started to walk away again. Alfred followed behind him at a good distance. The blonde made his way to another house and walked in, but did not come out. Alfred raised a brow and made his way to a window. He peeked in and noticed another human. This male was a red head with sea green eyes. He was skinny but slightly taller than the blonde. The two started to talk._

_**(Allistor is my name for Scotland who is England's older brother!)**_

"_Allistor, are you okay?" Arthur asked. Allistor nodded and coughed a couple times before leaning on his brother as Arthur laid him down. Arthur took his time in covering his brother up and petting his head while humming._

OOOO

Alfred watched the two for a couple minutes before moving to go to the front door. He walked around the side of the house and tripped over some trash. As Alfred fell, he reached for anything to catch him and made a loud noise as the trash can he reached for fell. From inside, Arthur looked over at the window quickly. He rubbed Allistor's cheek before grabbing a knife and making his way to the front door. Arthur placed his hand around the door knob and slowly opened it to peek out in the streets.

"Damn it, that hurt." Alfred said as he got up and wiped dirt from his uniform. He popped his neck and back and sighed as he looked around at the mess he had made. Arthur's eyes widened as he watched Alfred. He quickly closed the door and ran back to Allistor.

"Allistor, can you get up?" Arthur asked. Allistor blankly shook his head no and coughed into his blanket. Arthur tapped his foot and looked around quickly. Alfred noticed a sound much like a door shutting and looked at the house again. He rolled his eyes and went to the door. He knocked and then took the knob into his own hands. He turned it carefully and walked into the house. The house wasn't in such a good shape either.

The walls were peeling with wallpaper and dust was in most areas. Alfred waved his hand in the air and noticed dust particles fly around at the movement. He shook his head and walked to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and noticed it was not cold.

"Powers out obviously." He said to himself and walked to a different room. The bed was stripped of any sheets or pillows and the mattress was torn in different areas. The window in the room was cracked and dirty looking. He sighed and turned to find a knife at his throat.

"Woah."

"What are you doing here!? Get out of my h-hou-"Arthur fell forward and Alfred caught him before he made contact with the ground. Alfred watched as Arthur coughed into his arm nonstop before taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Calm down. Deep breath." Alfred said as he rubbed Arthur's upper arm. Arthur scowled.

"I-I bloody know. Put me down." Arthur ordered. Alfred sighed and set Arthur down. Arthur straightened out his shirt and backed up a couple steps.

"Who are you?" Alfred asked as Arthur looked at him. Arthur shook his head.

"Why would I trust you?" Arthur asked.

"I'm Alfred. Alfred F. Jones. I won't hurt you, please tell me." Alfred said as he held his hands up in defense. Arthur thought for a moment and blinked.

"I'm Arthur. Where do you come from?" Arthur asked as he looked over Alfred's uniform.

"The dome."

OOOO

"Computers online." Liz **(Hungary)** said as she flicked a switch and turned to the number of scientists and officials in the room. Liz was part of the research team that looked after the teams that went outside the dome. She made her way to her computer and put her headset on. Turning to her screen, she pressed a finger to the screen and it flashed on. Liz smiled.

"Incoming message from the Director." Another Scientist spoke as he pressed things on his computer screen. Everyone looked up to the screen and watched as a spark was made and the Director's voice sounded.

"Good Afternoon everyone." The disguised voice said over the blank screen.

"Good Morning Director." Everyone said in unison. The Director of the dome was very high up in power. A new Director was chosen every year on February 1st by dome officials and made the decisions about the teams who would be going out to find any research information. No one but the dome officials knew who the Director was.

The Director cleared his throat.

"It is a good morning. Is the team inside the boundaries?"

"One moment, Director, let me check." Liz said as she scanned something and a map came up on her screen. She tapped it in different places and red dots popped up on the screen.

"4…5…6… Yes sir, all inside the boundaries. Number 6, Alfred F. Jones, is close to the outer limit though." Liz informed. She pressed Alfred's dot and information came on the screen.

"Is he healthy?" The Director asked.

"Yes sir, his vital signs seem fine. His scanner is online and his tracker inside his uniform is at 100%." Liz nodded as she backed out of Alfred's information.

"Good."

OOOO

Arthur watched as Alfred scanned some things around the house with curious eyes. He had only once seen others from the dome, but none had come near any of the infected. He kept his arms crossed to appear more intimidating and looked towards the room his brother was in.

"You okay? You keep looking over at that room." Alfred said as he typed things into his scanner. Arthur looked at Alfred and looked at the floor trying to decide if it was the right thing to show his brother to Alfred or not. Alfred looked at Arthur and waited patiently. Many of the infected were known to have a hard time thinking over things since some had brain damage.

"You are from the dome and I guess you're trustworthy for now." Arthur said as he went over to the door and peeked in to make sure Allistor was still awake. Arthur looked back at Alfred and sighed as he opened the door more and walked in quietly. Arthur walked to his brother and sat on the bed next to him.

"How are you doing?" Arthur asked as he rubbed Allistor's cheek and looked to the door. Allistor hummed his acknowledgement of the question and leaned into the touch of his brother. Arthur frowned and fixed the blanket on his brother. Outside the room, Alfred stood in shock but did not let any show. It was rare to find two infected together for two reasons. One, it increased the rate of death for either since there was more infection shared between them. Two, families died off quickly and usually only had one member to survive the longest. Alfred put his scanner into his belt and walked in quietly. Allistor looked at Alfred and looked at Arthur.

"It's okay Alba." **(Alba is a nickname for Allistor.) **Arthur informed his brother as he got up and walked over to Alfred.

"He's my brother, Allistor. He's been sick longer than I have, but he won't let go. He's torturing himself with this illness." Arthur told Alfred. Alfred looked at Allistor and walked over to feel his head. It was cold which was not a good sign. Usually an infected person would have a fever in the earlier stages of the plague and then go on to have more worse symptoms.

The stages:

**Stage 1-** A carrier would start to have abnormally strong headaches, sometimes migraines. The carrier would feel tired and weak and would sleep longer than usual. In some cases, a rash would spread along the carriers' throat area and tiny bumps much like chicken pox would appear.

**Stage 2-** A fever would become a daily thing and would go up and down in temperature till it settled at a higher number. A person would start to have breathing problems or cough constantly. In cases involving a rash, the bumps would spread.

**Stage 3-** A fever would still be present and would cause cold sweats. Rougher breathing would cause fits of coughing and hacking. Heart palpitations **(an irregular or unusually rapid beating of the heart, either because of a medical condition or because of exertion, fear, or anxiety)** would occur in the carrier often. Nausea would appear and cause some to throw up. In cases involving a rash, the bumps would start to itch.

**Stage 4-** The fever would vanish and be replaced with a dizzy feeling, making a person have trouble moving or walking. A person would remain to have cold sweats. Heart palpitations would occur several times a day. In cases involving a rash, the bumps would start to pop if scratched or irritated.

**Stage 5-** A person would slip into a coma like state with very little brain activity. Death would occur.

OOOO

"Arthur, can I lower the blanket a bit. I need to check his skin." Alfred looked at Arthur for an answer. Arthur seemed to tense up but nodded. Alfred nodded back and lowered the blanket to Allistor's stomach. He carefully unbuttoned Allistor's shirt and sighed.

"Thought so." Alfred said as he placed the back of his hand against Allistor's chest. Allistor tensed up and closed his eyes. Arthur walked over and pet Allistor's head.

"Shh Alba." Arthur comforted as he watched Alfred. Alfred kept his hand on Allistor's chest till he felt a palpitation and nodded to himself. He looked at the small bumps on Allistor's chest and neck and then closed up his shirt again.

"Does he scratch at those bumps a lot?" Alfred asked as he rubbed Allistor's upper arm. Arthur looked at Alfred.

"He hasn't scratched at them at all." Arthur replied. Alfred hummed in thought.

"He's in between stage 3 and 4 then."

**Sorry for the late update guys! I had a bit of writer's block. Was it good? Bad?**

**Reviews are loved!**


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